The cost to ride a gondola to the top of Mammoth is currently $29, ride takes between 10-15 minutes. How much is the Boston gondola going to charge?

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Originally Posted by stellarfun

The East London gondola system.

According to CNN, "This [the annual operating cost] is massively greater than the revenue from fares income." The cheapest fare per trip would be $2.35 per trip. A one-ride cash fare (basically the fare for tourists) is $6.25.

You went from a $29/trip example to show how crazy expensive this would be to a $2.35/trip example to show how it will would lose money. That is some extreme cherry picking. And as noted above, you've failed to understand the basic efficiencies of the system. Maybe do some honest research instead of just throwing out whatever random fact you stumble across while googling? You're obviously biased and grasping at anything you think may support your argument.

__________________"You cannot take in a whole Boston street with a single glance of the eye and then lose your interest because you have thus taken the edge off future discovery; on the contrary, every step reveals some portion of a building which you could not see before, some change in your vista, and some suggestion of pleasant variety yet to come, which not only keeps your interest alive but heightens it and persuades you to go on."

You went from a $29/trip example to show how crazy expensive this would be to a $2.35/trip example to show how it will would lose money. That is some extreme cherry picking. And as noted above, you've failed to understand the basic efficiencies of the system. Maybe do some honest research instead of just throwing out whatever random fact you stumble across while googling? You're obviously biased and grasping at anything you think may support your argument.

THIS.

I don't think anyone is here is saying BUILD IS NOW AT ANY COST, but we certainly shouldn't discard the idea simply because it hasn't been done in Boston before.

Systems exist in developed and developing countries. Places like Texas, Disney, and London have the same concerns about safety, liability, accessibility, and cost. They've made it work for the public, so clearly these concerns aren't fatal flaws.

And again, Disney is building this as a transportation option to replace a crowded shuttle bus system, not as a pleasure ride, in place of rail expansion.

If you've been to Disney, you know there's an enormous density of wheelchair users, deathly obese people, and children. If they are able to make it work, anyone can.

I don't think anyone is here is saying BUILD IS NOW AT ANY COST, but we certainly shouldn't discard the idea simply because it hasn't been done in Boston before.

Systems exist in developed and developing countries. Places like Texas, Disney, and London have the same concerns about safety, liability, accessibility, and cost. They've made it work for the public, so clearly these concerns aren't fatal flaws.

And again, Disney is building this as a transportation option to replace a crowded shuttle bus system, not as a pleasure ride, in place of rail expansion.

If you've been to Disney, you know there's an enormous density of wheelchair users, deathly obese people, and children. If they are able to make it work, anyone can.

I am assuming that Disney doesn't have an existing $650 million subway tunnel that could be improved upon, running the same general route.

With no net elevation gain I'm guessing the power requirements would be a good bit less; most gondolas haul people up really high mountains and almost none of them ride down. As a minor clarification, on most systems there is only the one motor; in non-drive stations the tire banks etc. are driven by the haul rope.

I still can't figure how they're planning on dropping $100 mil on this thing; with only three stations it ought to be about a quarter of that. This is all off-the-shelf, proven technology.

With no net elevation gain I'm guessing the power requirements would be a good bit less; most gondolas haul people up really high mountains and almost none of them ride down. As a minor clarification, on most systems there is only the one motor; in non-drive stations the tire banks etc. are driven by the haul rope.

I still can't figure how they're planning on dropping $100 mil on this thing; with only three stations it ought to be about a quarter of that. This is all off-the-shelf, proven technology.

Actually, would the elevation really matter that much? I’m assuming the gondolas are the majority of the weight carried, and they’re all balanced by gondolas going down slope.

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Actually, would the elevation really matter that much? I’m assuming the gondolas are the majority of the weight carried, and they’re all balanced by gondolas going down slope.

8 150# people weigh 1200 pounds, and the carriers don't weigh particularly more than that. On some mountain installations (more often chairlifts), they have to limit the number of people who can ride down at once, because the motor and drive electronics aren't set up to handle an overhauling load.

Although it seems the study (not paid for by tax dollars) will also include all other modes of transit, too.

It's more like they will study other modes of transit, but will include a look into the Gondola. The article is written to make it seem like the focus is on the Gondola, which it most definitely is not.

At first I was 100% against this but I warmed up to it. It would be one more way to get around, it would work, then on top of that the tourist factor would be amazing. The view of the Seaport, Fort Point, and the city skyline riding this thing would be amazing. Then it also passes over fort point, Im sure the views would be incredible. It would be a viable way to get down Summer st so why not? As long as they kept working on other modes Id be cool with it. Imagine the friggin view from the render above, this would be pretty badass.

Using a gondola where a bus is possible should get everyone involved fired. This is a horrible horrible proposal and it will unquestionably make our city WORSE, not better, because the stupid stations take up space that could be used for something else. There is no upside whatsoever, not even “the view.” If the few seats on the thing are packed with tourists taking in the view, then it isn’t packed with the people who need to get where they are going.